Dad's Red Dress and Dublin's red squirrel...

During a recent wander of its home city, Dad's Red Dress met the work of Artur Bordalo

He has created sculptures in 24 countries at this stage, using all sorts of waste from bike wheels, radiators, damaged car parts... city waste becomes art. Somehow!

Apparently Bordalo chose the red squirrel because it's endangered - I don't know the last time I spotted one. They're a native species since before the ice age, believe it or not and dependent on woodland. They tend to forage within the canopy and are far more elusive.

The brasher grey squirrel was introduced in 1911. I was told once that two grey squirrels were given to some aristocratic couple as a wedding gift and that's when our indigenous squirrel met its match. They grey squirrel also carries the squirrel pox virus that only affects the red squirrel and is almost always fatal. It has only been identified as present in Ireland quite recently.

If you have time, it's well worth crossing Butt Bridge and staring across at it until you finally start identifying what's in there. Mind you, it does make you wish there were more of these wonderful sculptures around the city, using up our rubbish inn such a magnificently creative way.